Upcoming April 7th
Election: Village of Campton Hills' Referenda Questions

Question #1: Shall the Village of Campton Hills take
steps to preserve the identity of the Wasco area?

Wasco's Historyby CamptonTownship Trustee Kathleen Judy

Before the Village was incorporated in 2007, the "hamlet" of
Wasco was thought to include various settlements in surrounding
unincorporated CamptonTownship. The following is a compilation
of historical accounts and general outline of some of Wasco
area's history.

In the upcoming election, Campton Hills' voters are being
asked whether the historical character of the Wasco area should
be preserved now that it has become part of the Village. Before
the Village was incorporated in 2007, the "hamlet" of Wasco was
thought to include various settlements in surrounding
unincorporated CamptonTownship. The following is a compilation
of historical accounts and general outline of some of Wasco
area's history.

The Wasco area has developed over the last two centuries as
mostly commercial and residential with some light industry off
of what is now Route 64 located west of St.
Charles and east of LilyLake; and also included settlements north
and west of the Great Western Trail. At the center of the
commercial area is the current Wasco Post Office on the north
side of Route 64 at Old La Fox Road
provides services for residents living in a one-quarter mile
radius of its current location.

Historical accounts identify the U.S. Post Office in Wasco
as being first located in 1836 at "King's Mill" on Ferson Creek
at what is now the end of King's Mill Road. King's
Mill (now on Route 64) was the oldest building west of St. Charles built by Dr.
King, a lay preacher. It was moved in the 1890s with horses on
skids to its current location, and called Wanzer Milk before the
1940s. It was restored in its original character and put to its
present use by the McPartland family, as fine furniture,
oriental rugs, antique restorations, and repair store.

The Post Office was moved to nearby Gray Willow in the 1870s,
north and west of what is now Corron and Burlington Roads, and
then to its current location (Route 64 & Old LaFox Road) when
the Bergland Store, a general store, opened for business in a
wood framed building. George Bergland had originally opened the
store in 1890s when the Great Western Railroad was establishing
trains through Wasco. This original wooden framed store was
torn down in the early 1900s, and the existing brick building
built on the same site by the Berglands. It then became the
offices and general store of Hummel and Company in the 1940s
after the death of Floyd Bergland. During the 1900s, the Post
Office in Wasco was relocated into different corners of the
Bergland building.

At the turn of the century, the depot located in Wasco on the
Great Western Railroad (now on Old La Fox Road)
established commercial ties for the Wasco area farmers to ship
their milk on the milk trains to Chicago. It also encouraged movement and trade
to the west. After the Railroad ended its passenger rail
service and abandoned the line in the 1940s, the Wasco Train
Depot was sold to the Wasco American Legion. The depot was then
turned into the Wesley Johnson American Legion Hall. In 1999, CamptonTownship purchased the depot. The
Township renovated it again, establishing offices and meeting
rooms. Malek Hall, named after past Campton Township Supervisor
Ed Malek, (a.k.a.
CamptonCommunity Center) and is
open to the public for community events and local government
meetings including Village Board meetings. It is also the
current office for the Campton Township Assessor.

Another historic building in Wasco recognized on the
National Register is CamptonTown Hall,
built in 1873 and dedicated in 1874, is still used today for the
Township's central offices. Other Wasco buildings include
historic homesteads, the Wasco Baptist Church (on School Road
since 1891), Wasco School, an elementary school serving the area
since 1906 (once a three-story stone building), and commercial
buildings with retail operations and light industry, mostly
established after rail service commenced or Route 64 was paved
through Wasco in the late 1920s.

Historic Wasco also includes the
MatherBuilding, now housing a
real estate office, at the northeast corner of Old LaFox and
Route 64. It was an early outpost as a farm machinery business
and gas station during the late 1890s and early 1900s.
Residences sprung up around these stores, including the Santell
Prairie home, built in the 1923. Some older buildings in Wasco
have been converted from residential to commercial property;
some have been destroyed, some remain farms, homes and
homesteads. Some were built specifically for commercial
endeavors, such as the gas company, bank and various retail
establishments and restaurants, including Niko's Lodge (the
former Silverado and the Old Farm Inn).

Sources: HISTORY OF KANE COUNTY, ILL. by R. Waite Joslyn and Frank W. Joslyn,
Volume II, page 853, (1908); CAMPTON TOWNSHIP,
1835-1976, as compiled and edited by Lucinda Corron, and based
on the Past and Present of Kane County, 1878; KANE COUNTY
2030 COMPREHENSIVE LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN, Kane County Landmarks Map, Figure 70.

A "Dark
Sky" ordinance is designed to regulate excessive and unnecessary
lighting. Such ordinances also seek to measure and control
wasted artificial illumination. They impose regulatory
architectural design criteria and specifications for new
structures, or changes in existing structures, such as lighting
in parking lots and outside malls. These ordinances can be
traced to a global movement against light pollution. See
http://www.darksky.org and
http://illinoislighting.org. Campton Hills voters will be
asked their opinion on the Village adopting such an ordinance in
the April 7th election.

The
Village of
Homer Glen (southwest of Chicago), which
incorporated in 2001, passed this type of ordinance in 2008.
Homer Glen received praise from Lt. Governor (now Governor) Pat
Quinn last year: "Homer Glen's ordinance demonstrates that good
outdoor lighting uses the right amount of light, where and when
it is needed without wasting energy by sending light up to the
night sky." In addition to Homer Glen, other cities and
counties in Arizona, California, Connecticut,
Idaho, Indiana
and New York
have passed dark sky ordinances.

Campton Hills
is filled with nocturnal creatures and a Dark Sky ordinance
would promote the preservation of their habitat. Opponents of
Dark Sky ordinances raise safety concerns. However, proponents
counter that too much light, directed in the wrong direction,
can actually create blinding glares. Debra Norvil, president of
the Illinois Coalition For Responsible Outdoor Lighting, notes
that working with developers to ensure compliance is the most
difficult part of enforcing Homer Glen's ordinance.

Question #3: Shall the Village of Campton Hills pursue an
Intergovernmental Agreement with CamptonTownship in an attempt to assist
development and maintenance of Open Space parcels within the Village
through grants, land-cash contributions, and/or donations?

What would an IGA between Campton
Hills and CamptonTownship Accomplish?

An
Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) is the mechanism that all
governing bodies use to share, operate, fund and/or support
joint activities or projects. This proposed IGA would help
support the construction of improvements on the open-space lands
the Township purchased through
CamptonTownship property tax
dollars and grants. On the April 7th ballot, Campton Hills'
voters will also be asked for their opinion of the Village
entering into such an agreement.

The Township has limited resources to develop amenities on these
properties such as access/parking, walking or bike trails, or
picnic facilities and make them accessible to the public for
recreational uses. (The Township Open Space program primarily
funds the acquisition of land and to date has acquired numerous
sites and easements: PoynorPark,
Corron Farm, Brown
Road properties, Harley Woods,
Headwaters Conservation Area, MongersonPark, Mongerson Farm and Garfield Farm
easements.)

The Village may be in a better position to secure development
grants, many of which are only available to municipalities. In
addition, the Village now requires land/cash contributions for
parks from new developments, which could be used to fund
improvements on any public land within the Village. Further
community involvement through donations and fundraisers, could
also be managed or supported in conjunction with Village events,
such as the Heritage Farm Fest organized by the Village's
Community Relations Committee.

The primary cost to the Village would be preparing the grant
proposals and managing the fund transfers.